Sermon, Who I Am Not  – Part Two: Do You Know Who Jesus Is?

Scripture: John 1: 19-27

¹⁹ Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders^[c] in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. ²⁰ He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”  ²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”  He said, “I am not.”  “Are you the Prophet?”  He answered, “No.”  ²² Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”  ²³ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”^{[d]  24} Now the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”  ²⁶ “I baptize with^[e] water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. ²⁷ He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 

Do you know who Jesus is?

Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the sacrificed Lamb that was led to slaughter, the High Priest, the Prince of Peace, the Light of the World, God’s Only Begotten Son, and the I Am.

John the Baptist was preordained in his mother’s womb when the angels told his mother how he was to be raised.

God has a plan for each of us, like He had for John, but to know your mission, you must know and accept God.  The Book of John shows Jesus as fully human and fully God.  Although Jesus took full humanity onto Himself, He never ceased to be the eternal God who has always existed.  He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and the source of eternal life.  This is who John the Baptist tells the world that Jesus is.

Jesus is the one true light.

We, like John the Baptist, are not the source of God’s light; we merely reflect God’s light.  Jesus Christ is the one true light.  He guides us to the Father.  We must never think we can be the one who brings the light; we are only reflectors of Christ’s light.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become part of God’s family and are spiritually alive with God’s grace.  This is God’s gift to all of us. 

Don’t be like the Pharisees that went to John the Baptist asking who was he.  They had the Old Testament.  They had the Torah plus the prophets to tell them who he was. These same books told them about Jesus Christ.  These same priests outwardly obeyed God’s law to look pious while their hearts were filled with pride and greed.  These religious leaders believed their oral traditions were just as important as God’s Word.

The Pharisees asked John who gave him authority to baptize.  They really were asking why was he baptizing God’s chosen people like Gentiles? When John replied that he was baptizing with water, he was merely helping the people perform a symbolic act of repentance.  But one was coming who would truly forgive sins.  He is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, God’s only Begotten Son.   He is the only one with the power to forgive.

John the Baptist said he was not worthy to be Jesus Christ’s slave or to take off His shoes.  John emphasized why he came; to prepare the way for the Messiah.  The Messiah, the Son of God, is the only one who has the power to forgive you of your sins. 

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

John 1

Return Next Week to Read Part Three of the Sermon, Who I Am Not

Read Part One of the Sermon, Who I Am Not

Sermon – Part One: Who I Am Not

Scripture: John 1: 19-27

¹⁹ Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders^[c] in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. ²⁰ He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”  ²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”  He said, “I am not.”  “Are you the Prophet?”  He answered, “No.”  ²² Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”  ²³ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”^{[d]  24} Now the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”  ²⁶ “I baptize with^[e] water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. ²⁷ He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 

In John 1,  John the Baptist is asked, “Who are you?”  In verses 20 and 21, he tells them who he is not.  People today will tell you who they are.  I am a banker, a brick layer, and lawyer, a car washer, a teacher.  The list goes on and on.  But the real question is who are you really?

Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? 

Do you believe Jesus is God’s Only Begotten Son, the Lamb of God, The Messiah, the light for the world?

Some will say yes but their words have no meaning.  What does Jesus mean to them?  If they do not love or study the Word, and there is no forgiveness in their life, they practice or worship a religion of self-gratification. 

What is your real agenda?

The priests and Levites sent the Pharisees to question John the Baptist about who he was, not about who he was serving.  But their real agenda was to find out why so many people were coming to hear him preach and be baptized in the wilderness. 

The Jews did not baptize.  Their duty as guardians of faith caused them to want to investigate any new preaching.  (Deuteronomy 13: 1-5 and Deuteronomy 18: 20-22).  Deuteronomy tells them to beware of false prophets who encourage worship of other gods.

In questioning John the Baptist, they wanted to find out if he had the credentials of a prophet.  John’s popularity was growing to the point that his followers were leaving them for John.  They were jealous. 

The Pharisees had four questions regarding John the Baptist’s identity:

1. Was he a prophet foretold by Moses (Deuteronomy 18: 15)?
2. Elijah (Malachi 4: 5)
3. The Messiah, a high priest
4. A false prophet

John denied being the first 3 personages.  He called himself, in the words of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

The Pharisees kept pressing John to say who he was because they were expecting the Messiah.  The Pharisees were Jewish leaders educated in the Jewish law, religious prophecy, and the Book of Isaiah telling of the voice of him crying in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord.

These same priests rejected Jesus Christ, the Messiah, when He came.  The Pharisees missed the point.  They wanted to know who John was but John wanted them to know who Jesus is.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John 1

Deuteronomy 13

Deuteronomy 18

Malachi 4

Read Other Sermons from The Gospel Mailman:

What Would God See From Heaven Today?

We All Have Sinned

Return Next Week to Read Part Two of the Sermon, Who I Am Not

Scripture: 2 Kings 20: 1-3

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”  Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Scripture Commentary:

Isaiah tells Hezekiah he is going to die soon and there is nothing that can be done.  Death will happen to all of us and there is nothing we can do about it.  It’s an appointment each of us will have to keep.

The question before you is what are you doing before you die?  Are you out partying and lounging around doing nothing or are you serving God to the best of your ability?

Your arrival date is recorded in the book of life as is your departure date.  But as you read on in 2 Kings 20, you see that God says, “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.”  Hezekiah does not die right away; He is given 15 more years.  

Maybe someone you know was told they would die soon.  Maybe it was you.  But it didn’t happen and more time was given.  Did you acknowledge God for what He did?  Did you thank Him? And what will you do with that time?

Life is a one-time gift from God.  And death, also, is part of the journey.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

2 Kings 20

Read Other Commentary from the Old Testament:

What Is Your Purpose?

Wait Upon the Lord

Scripture: Isaiah 47: 10-12

You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me.’  Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’  ¹¹ Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away.  A calamity will fall upon you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you.  ¹² “Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood.  Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.

Scripture Commentary: There is no magic spell; no one knows the future.

The average person likes to check the astrology section of the newspaper to see what the stars have to say about their day.  Like a magic spell, they plan their day around what they read. 

This is what the citizens of Babylon did as they sought the advice of the astrologers and stargazers of their time.  The Babylonians were so caught up in their own power and greatness.  They felt secure, and their king, Nebuchadnezzar, thought of himself as a god.

Don’t put your trust in magic that cannot deliver you.

Sorcerers and soothsayers cannot tell you what God has planned for you.  They don’t know their own future; they cannot know yours. 

God took everything from Nebuchadnezzar.  The lesson here is not to get so self-centered that you forget who is really in charge.  God made us from earth and we will return to dust until God comes again and calls us back to His presence. 

If you want to know about your future, repent and turn your life over to God.  Put yourself in His Hands.  Spread the gospel of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  God will forgive, forget and wipe away your sins forever.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Isaiah 47

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Isaiah:

How Would You Answer the Call, “Whom Shall I Send?”

Christ Is a Great Light Piercing the Darkness

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 33: 10-12

¹⁰ The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹ So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. ¹² In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.

Scripture Commentary:

Many of us are in distress, saying to ourselves, “I’ve sinned so many times that there’s no way God will ever forgive me. I am totally lost and will end up in hell.” Well, let me tell you about Manasseh who reigned over Jerusalem for 55 years. He was an evil, wicked king who built altars to, and worshipped, false gods. If you were to list corrupt evil kings, the name Manasseh would probably be at the top of the list.

After learning about Manasseh, you may say, “Well, I’m not that bad.” But sin is sin. There is no size to the sinful lifestyle. Manasseh realized his sinfulness and turned to God and repented for his sins.

Like the thief on the cross with Jesus, you can go to God and repent your sins. God listened to Manasseh and forgave him. Do not let overpowering guilt put a barrier between you and God.

There is no sin God will not forgive if you truly repent. Man may or may not forgive but God always forgives. Until you take your last breath God will be waiting with open arms and a loving heart, ready to accept you into His family.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

2 Chronicles 33

Read Other Commentary from the New Testament:

Put Your Trust in God

The Congregation Lifted Up Their Voice

Scripture: Proverbs 3: 5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Scripture Commentary: Trust God in everything.

In a class on human behavior, the instructor divides the class into groups of 2. One person is blindfolded and turns around 3 times, after which they are told to fall backwards. They are to trust that someone will catch them.

In Proverbs 3, Solomon tells us to trust in the Lord with “all your heart.” We live by faith, not by sight, right? In the experiment above, the person who is blindfolded knows his/her classmate. S/he is to trust that s/he will be caught.

Trust and obey.

God, who you haven’t seen, tells you to trust in Him. Obey His commandments. Walk in His light and He will guide you. The proverb uses the word “heart.” This is not your physical heart. It is the Holy Spirit God has placed in you.

We think we know everything. So why ask God? We say we love God but we leave him outside our decisions.

Verse 6 says, “in all your ways submit to him.” Is God part of your decision making process? Solomon tells us what part God should play in our lives – everything! We should have an all encompassing, fully committed relationship with God.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Proverbs 3

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Proverbs:

What Do Your Words Say About You?

What You Do For Christ Has Lasting Value

Scripture: Job 42: 7

⁷ After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 

Scripture Commentary:

God made it clear that Job’s friends had not spoken the truth about Him. The fact that God mentioned no specific sins against Job confirms that Job led a devout and obedient life. Job’s friends erred in assuming that Job’s suffering was the result of sin.

How often do we play judge and jury when we witness things happening in someone else’s life? Like Job’s friends, we judge without knowing what God is doing. God is in control and He is the one and only judge.

Job prayed for his friends after they criticized him. It’s difficult to forgive someone who has accused you of wrongdoings. But Job did forgive.

Jesus did the same thing. In Luke 23: 34, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

If you cannot forgive, how can you ask for forgiveness? Are you praying for those who have hurt you?

Would Job have praised God had nothing been restored to him? The answer is yes. Read the entire book of Job and you will see that Job understood that he came from God and belonged to God. That is the truth of of everyone’s life.

All you have belongs to God and it is His gift to you. Do not hoard His gifts; share them. Jesus said that whoever gives up something for God’s Kingdom will be repaid. The payment may not be here on earth but when God welcomes you to take your rest in His eternal home with Him.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Job 42

Luke 23

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Job:

Have you considered my servant, Job?

Have you considered the testimony in the trial?

Scripture: Psalm 136: 1-4

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. ² Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. ³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.

Scripture Commentary: God’s love never changes.

There is one refrain throughout this psalm. In the KJV, it is, “for his mercy endureth for ever.” No matter what version of the Bible you read, the message is the same. God’s love, kindness, mercy, faithfulness and forgiveness never changes. However, we flip flop throughout our lives. If only we could be as constant in our lives.

Read the entirety of Psalm 136 and repeat the refrain over and over. Maybe, just maybe, we can be the person God created us to be. To be constant in what we say. To be someone who means what he/she says and to have people know that our word is bond.

God’s love is never ending.

Repeating the refrain is not an unnecessary or tiresome exercise. God shows His true love for us in this Psalm. God’s love is a never ending stream; it will never run out. This is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ died for our sins, showing us how to love one another. Christ showed us how we should live our life and how we should treat others.

When you go to God for help, He does not turn you down. God answers prayer. His love endures forever because God endures forever. He is the alpha and omega of life itself.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Psalm 136

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Psalms:

Teach Me Lord, and Order My Steps In Your Word

Bless the Lord For the Gifts He Gives You

Scripture: Jeremiah 36: 1

In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now. ³ Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn from their wicked ways; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin.”

Scripture Commentary: God wants us to turn from our wicked ways.

God gives Jeremiah a notice to read to the people of Judah informing them of every disaster He plans to inflict on them if they do not turn from their wicked ways. Also, God tells them if they stop their wickedness, He will forgive them their sins.

God’s message hasn’t changed. God still has this message for us today. Are we listening, turning from sin and repenting? Or are we like King Zedekiah and his officials who did not want to hear God’s Word?

God spoke to Jeremiah who dictated the message to Baruch, his scribe, who read it to the people. Jeremiah read it to the king.

If we don’t turn from our wicked ways, we face damnation for eternity.

God’s Word has not changed. What He said to Jeremiah is still relevant today. God wants us to turn from our wicked, sinful ways. He wants to forgive us. If we continue in a life of sin, we face damnation for eternity.

God has shown us love and patience for thousands of years. He even sent His Son to pay for our sins. Each of us only has a short time on earth; do not waste it.

Is your life influenced by what the world says or is it influenced by what God tells you?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Jeremiah 36

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Jeremiah:

God’s Justice Comes in God’s Time

Not All Prophets Are True

Scripture: Colossians 2: 13-15

¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[d] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.^[e]

Scripture Commentary:

Before Christ we had no one to show us the way. We were condemned. God sent judges, prophets, and preachers to tell the people that they were wrong in what they were doing when sacrificing animals to atone for their sinful lives when their lifestyle did not change.

God then sent His Begotten Son Jesus Christ as the only unblemished sacrifice that would be accepted for our sins. He become our mediator to present our life before God. When Christ died on the cross, God declared us not guilty.

We do not have to live in sin.

That doesn’t mean we are perfect. We are not perfect but what is now different is that we can ask for forgiveness.

We have joined Christ in His death and resurrection.

The bondage of sin has no hold on us. Christ has freed us! And now we have an unbroken bond in the family of God that is eternal.

Our only judge and jury is Jesus Christ, and He paid our sin debt in full. God has forgotten our sins and we are clean.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Colossians 2

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Colossians:

A Violator Cannot Forgive His Own Trespasses

Be Strengthened In the Faith As You Were Taught